Heart Disease and Women

Do you know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of both men and women?  Every 90 seconds a woman in America suffers a heart attack.  Every 90 seconds… And here’s another disturbing fact, only 56% of women know that heart disease ranks top of the killer list (above cancer). 

What are symptoms of heart attack in women?  Aren’t they the same symptoms that men feel?  Maybe but not always.  Men often have the pressure/discomfort in chest—“feel like an elephant sitting on my chest” They may have radiating pain up into neck/jaw/throat.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), women’s symptoms may vary from no symptoms to dull and heavy, sharp chest pain or discomfort.  The pain may radiate to abdomen or back and may also radiate to neck, jaw, throat.  These symptoms may happen when resting or being active.  Mental stress can also trigger these symptoms.  http://www.cdc.gov/Features/WearRed/ 

Women may deal with subtle symptoms such as indigestion and fatigue.  Do you find yourself exhausted quickly and become short of breath, without good reason?  Check into those symptoms, ladies.  The quicker you get help for heart attack symptoms, the better your results will be. Remember your heart is a muscle and it needs a good blood supply to function.  When the blood supply to your heart is diminished or shut-off, you will be at risk of a heart attack.  Seek help.